Thanks for sharing!

Like this:

54 thoughts on “Wishlist”

Whoo hoo. This is the first reply space here! You sound real and I recognize the advice, given my own struggles with my first story. And nowI am here on WordPress writing my second. it does pull you in as the characters start to write for themselves. Sometimes I feel like an air traffic controller stacking up all the factors in my head.
Evangeline Tankful (DCBE) (not really of course!)

Thanks for having this info so readily available, and for answering questions. It makes it very easy for us writers to get a better handle on what you’re looking for, and it you’re the right agent for our manuscript! I’ll be sending you a submission shortly.

What you have listed as Women’s Fiction looks like there’s a lot of crossover with Literary Fiction – what is it that makes it women’s fiction? That a woman is the author or that women are the target market?

A friend just sent me your blog and I’m really impressed. It’s so refreshing to find a literary agent who’s accessible, encouraging and honest. Thank you for all your great advice and I wish you many talented clients!

Hi Carly, I found you in the 2014 Guide to Literary Agents (thought you’d like to know) and checked out your website/blog and thought I’d see if you’d be interested in a platform-based nonfiction book on communication skills – How to Communicate Like a Jackass. I take a satirical viewpoint regarding the (lack of) communication skills of the human animal in various areas including interpersonal communication, social media, interviewing, listening, etc. I’m basing the book off of a few articles that I wrote on my blog that sparked the idea. Is this something you’d be interested in? I’m hoping so! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this teeny, tiny, poor excuse for a pitch (but I can send a much better one in the form of an email if you think I have a shot).

All I can say is Thank you. I have to constantly explain to people why don’t you just self pub. This is why. I am a Real Estate Agent, much different I know. However, the concept for me is the same. For someone to go out without representation try to sell or buy a house can be done and is done all the time. But when you have someone in your corner, that knows the ins and outs of the arena you have entered you will come out in a better position. I know one day I will be able to write for a living (my dream) when it is my time.

Seeing that you lived in the U.K. and enjoy Women’s Fiction that is emotionally gripping, I think you’d find my manuscript intriguing: A young widow moves to Ireland, befriends a boy with Down syndrome and is stalked by an addict. The boy enlists the help of neighbors to save her, but the addict redirects his anger at the disabled boy. Will the lad survive an attack by this bad bloke? I’ll query you soon. Thanks for your helpful blog! Kathryn MacDonald Schneeman

Hi Carly;
What’s the difference between Literary Mystery, genre mystery, and Commercial Fiction? Instead of taking up your time, can you direct me to a post that will explain?
Regards,
Amandahttp://www.ajcapper.com

Literary mystery revolves around the writing as much as the plot ie. THE NIGHT FILM. Genre mysteries are cosy mysteries or other things that come in a series. Commercial fiction are books that are appreciated by the mass market, not high brow, but focus on entertainment.

Hi Carly. Thanks for this blog. I have a question I’m hoping you will answer. I’ve read mixed comments in blogs about books that can be a cross over. Most agents comments were rather negative. In your opinion, when querying, is it best to state only 1 particular genre?

My book is a Christian fiction novel but even though it is based in biblical end-times, it is a story of a woman’s spiritual journey so I think it fits in women’s fiction as well. One of my biggest frustrations is most agents only see Left Behind, which my book is far from so agents aren’t giving me a 2nd look but it is a fairly unique story and has done very well in my test market.

Do you represent any faith based works?

Thanks again for this blog. I appreciate the information you’ve been sharing.
Victoria

Hi Carly,
Thanks for a great post, very helpful! I see above you are not interested in faith-based work. Would you consider a picture book with a Christmas theme to be out of your realm of interest? (More Santa, no Jesus).

I’m writing an autobiography about hardships in my life including abuse, dating the “wrong” men, as well as, a lot of other things I would love to share with you. Please let me know if you would be interested .

October 31st … Halloween. My birthday. Perhaps it would have been appropriate to call the mss (autobiographical of course) “Born On Halloween” – a good title for a hard luck story. But I chose the title “In Quiet Desperation” given the general nature of a story that has the distinction of having more frustration in it than the average soul can bear. Still, the fact remains that most men (and women) do live lives of quiet desperation – and that goes double for writers. One could ‘cut to the chase’ by using a short list to attract attention: Autism, Accidents, Bankruptcy, War, Toxic Family Syndrome, Clinical Depression, Entrepreneurism, Addiction… that should cover a decent portion of the desperate population. Most of us are just not what we imagined we’d be as the clock ticked away and our chances grew ever more narrow. We just continue to wonder “why” as we blame fate.

This story is one that is a bit “more”. A bit more hard luck. A bit more that gets in the way. A bit more that makes the intensity and volume of events so difficult to comprehend. One becomes reliant on the misfortune of others to justify their own, so there is less of a feeling of isolation. I think this little pitch would make a great opening “VO” for some film noir.

I wonder if the subject matter, all true, would make a manuscript you’d be interested in.

About Carly Watters

Carly Watters is a VP and Senior Literary Agent at the P.S. Literary Agency. Carly began her publishing career in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University and a MA in Publishing Studies from City University London. Since joining PSLA in 2010 Carly has had great success launching new authors domestically and abroad.
Never without a book on hand she reads across categories which is reflected in the genres she represents at PSLA. Representing debuts and bestsellers, Carly is drawn to: emotional, well-paced fiction, with a great voice and characters that readers can get invested in; and platform-driven non fiction.